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Positions and Views on Other Issues: |
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Use the links below to obtain views and positions on other issues. The first link
will take you to an introduction page where biographical and contact information
can be obtained. |
| ENVIRONMENT |
Positions and Views |
| Environment, a General Statement |
Reed: Throughout his career, Senator Reed has been deeply committed to preserving our natural resources. Reed was fortunate to grow up enjoying the wonders of Narragansett Bay and has worked hard to protect the environment for future generations to enjoy.
Sound environmental policy also makes good economic sense. Rhode Island's beaches, parks and waterways are important to our economy and Senator Reed has been successful in getting environmental groups and business leaders to agree on innovative "green" policy initiatives that promote both economic development and environmental restoration.
Source: reed.senate.gov/legislation/index.cfm Date: 07/01/2008 |
| Global Warming, Climate Change |
Reed: GLOBAL WARMING
Reed Calls on President to Address Global Climate Change
Friday, June 23, 2006
WASHINGTON, DC — Urging the Bush Administration to engage in the process of protecting our global environment, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) yesterday sent a letter to President George W. Bush calling on the Administration to increase the federal response to global climate change.
“Climate change is a real and serious problem that must be addressed. A year ago today, the Senate passed a resolution calling for mandatory action to ‘slow, stop, or reverse’ global warming emissions. A year later, the Bush Administration has still not taken action to address this issue,” Reed stated. “As the world’s largest contributor of carbon dioxide emissions, the United States must take steps to reduce its human impact on global climate change.”
In June of 2005, the Senate passed a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should demonstrate international leadership in reducing the health, environmental, and economic risks posed by climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, generating climate-friendly technologies, participating in negotiations under the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change, and supporting the establishment of a long-term objective to prevent the global average temperature from increasing by greater than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels.
Reed’s letter to the President requests that the Administration take steps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions including increasing fuel efficiency of automobiles, creating a mandatory emissions reduction program, and supporting a renewable portfolio standard requiring 20 percent of the nation’s electricity to be derived from renewable energy by 2020.
Reed stated, “Each day we hear new confirmation from scientists across the globe that global warming is not only occurring, but occurring at an alarming pace. We must do more to stop or reverse the trend of global warming before it is too late. This is an issue that affects us all as citizens of the world, and it cannot be ignored any longer.”
In June of 2005, Reed supported a bipartisan amendment to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 which would have required that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions be reduced to 2000 levels by 2010. This amendment was defeated in the Senate by a vote of 38 to 60.
Reed is a cosponsor of the Clean Power Act in the U.S. Senate, which seeks to require reductions in carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen, and mercury emissions from both new and older power plants. He has also cosponsored a resolution which would express the sense of Congress that the United States should act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Clean Air Technologies |
Reed: No Response |
| Carbon Tax |
Reed: No Response |
| Greenhouse Gas Emission Limits |
Reed: No Response |
| Developing World Greenhouse Emissions |
Reed: No Response |
| Developing World and Climate Change |
Reed: No Response |
| Environment Technology for Developing World |
Reed: No Response |
| Tropical Deforestation |
Reed: No Response |
| Cap-and-Trade System to Reduce Carbon Emissions |
Reed: No Response |
| Free Market Incentives |
Reed: No Response |
| Power Plant Emissions |
Reed: No Response |
| Higher Gasoline Tax |
Reed: No Response |
| Kyoto Protocol |
Reed: No Response |
| U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) |
Reed: No Response |
| Clear Skies Initiative and Clean Air Acts |
Reed: No Response |
| Clean Water Act and Water Quality |
Reed: No Response |
| Clean Drinking Water |
Reed: No Response |
| Toxic Waste |
Reed: Reed Introduces Bill to Help Local Communities Clean Up Contaminated Brownfields
Thursday, June 29, 2006
WASHINGTON, DC -- In an effort to cleanup contaminated land and boost economic investment in low-income neighborhoods, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today introduced the Brownfields Economic Development Act to modify the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s existing Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) program. The bill would authorize $50 million for the BEDI program and make it more accessible to small communities of 50,000 people or less.
"This legislation will make more federal money available for economic development of brownfields," said Senator Reed. "By redeveloping brownfields we can revitalize neighborhoods and provide new opportunities for economic growth and job creation."
Brownfields are abandoned, idled or under-used commercial properties where expansion or redevelopment has been slowed or prevented because of contamination and cleanup costs. As a member of the Senate Banking Committee’s Subcommittee on Housing Opportunity and Community Development, Reed played an integral role in the development and continuation of the Brownfields program, which is a joint effort between the EPA and HUD.
Currently, to be eligible for a Brownfields Economic Development Initiative grant, a community must apply for an economic development loan guarantee and pledge their Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds as partial collateral for the loan guarantee. This requirement is a barrier to many local communities that need assistance to revitalize brownfields. States and communities do not want to risk the loss of CDBG funds if there is a default on the loan.
Despite the growing need for economic development assistance for brownfields redevelopment, each year the number of applications that HUD receives remains less than 50. In comparison, EPA received 1,200 applications this year for brownfields projects. Allowing HUD to make BEDI grants independent of economic development loan guarantees would make the program accessible to more communities.
"Brownfields can be a win-win situation when communities take advantage of it," concluded Reed. "Rhode Island has done a great job in starting to clean up these abandoned properties. This legislation will enable
even more of our cities and towns to have access to brownfields redevelopment grants."
Reed introduced the bill along with Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and Elizabeth Dole (R-NC). |
| Polluter-Pays Superfund Fees |
Reed: No Response |
| Oil Drilling in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) |
Reed: No Response |
| Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
Reed: No Response |
| Interior Department |
Reed: No Response |
| National Parks |
Reed: No Response |
| National Forests and Healthy Forests Initiative |
Reed: No Response |
| National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act |
Reed: No Response |
| Land, Rivers and Lakes |
Reed: No Response |
| Factory Farms |
Reed: No Response |
| Oceans |
Reed: No Response |
| Tropical Rainforests |
Reed: No Response |
| Wetlands |
Reed: No Response |
| Invasive Species |
Reed: No Response |
| Endangered Species |
Reed: No Response |
| Cruelty to Animals |
Reed: No Response |
| Recycling and Trash |
Reed: Reed Introduces Bill to Help Local Communities Clean Up Contaminated Brownfields
Thursday, June 29, 2006
WASHINGTON, DC -- In an effort to cleanup contaminated land and boost economic investment in low-income neighborhoods, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today introduced the Brownfields Economic Development Act to modify the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s existing Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) program. The bill would authorize $50 million for the BEDI program and make it more accessible to small communities of 50,000 people or less.
"This legislation will make more federal money available for economic development of brownfields," said Senator Reed. "By redeveloping brownfields we can revitalize neighborhoods and provide new opportunities for economic growth and job creation."
Brownfields are abandoned, idled or under-used commercial properties where expansion or redevelopment has been slowed or prevented because of contamination and cleanup costs. As a member of the Senate Banking Committee’s Subcommittee on Housing Opportunity and Community Development, Reed played an integral role in the development and continuation of the Brownfields program, which is a joint effort between the EPA and HUD.
Currently, to be eligible for a Brownfields Economic Development Initiative grant, a community must apply for an economic development loan guarantee and pledge their Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds as partial collateral for the loan guarantee. This requirement is a barrier to many local communities that need assistance to revitalize brownfields. States and communities do not want to risk the loss of CDBG funds if there is a default on the loan.
Despite the growing need for economic development assistance for brownfields redevelopment, each year the number of applications that HUD receives remains less than 50. In comparison, EPA received 1,200 applications this year for brownfields projects. Allowing HUD to make BEDI grants independent of economic development loan guarantees would make the program accessible to more communities.
"Brownfields can be a win-win situation when communities take advantage of it," concluded Reed. "Rhode Island has done a great job in starting to clean up these abandoned properties. This legislation will enable
even more of our cities and towns to have access to brownfields redevelopment grants."
Reed introduced the bill along with Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and Elizabeth Dole (R-NC). |